Regions left in the lurch again after Labor’s CDMA decision
15th April, 2008
More than a quarter of Australia’s population had their communications future further clouded following the Rudd Labor Government’s decision today to switch off the CDMA network.The Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss, said this latest decision by Labor compounded the problems people living in rural, regional and remote Australia would now face in accessing mobile and broadband services.
It follows the scrapping of the OPEL wireless broadband network with no alternative in place, and Labor’s attempt to raid the $2 billion Communications Fund set up by the former Coalition Government for local communities.
The CDMA closure is another example of the Rudd Government rolling over to Telstra.
“I still receive complaints from consumers about the adequacy of the NextG network in certain places,” Mr Truss said. “Serious concerns remain about many handsets that Telstra has sold, and I urge users to contact Telstra to sort out these remaining problems.
“Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says that ‘equivalence tests’ have been met in terms of service provided by NextG. Senator Conroy must release the reports which led to his decision to delay the CDMA closure in January and now to allow the network to terminate. Given Labor’s attack on regional telecommunications in its first five months in power, I doubt anyone really trusts him.
“The test of that commitment will come on April 28 when the CDMA network is shut down. Labor will stand condemned if there is not equivalent or better service across Australia,” Mr Truss said.
